Fresh Air Box Grill Replacement Options

[hmssaab]

For what its worth.......
Fuel tank comes out.
Use a split ring plier to remove the box clips after the box is removed (if needed to be opened up...might as well replace the box flapper seals).
I would cut off the air box drainage hoses and replace them (with pond tubing from Home Depot...close match) instead of trying to pull them off the box drain tubes so as to avoid breaking the drain tubes. ABS glue mends broken drain tubes.
The grill gasket was slightly larger than the perimeter profile of the box, so I installed the grill/gasket (with soap and water) on each box end, wrapped a rubber band about the box ends, then pushed down the center of the grill gasket onto the box and installed two more rubber bands at the third points. These rubber bands are just snipped and pulled out after the box is in place.
The grill gasket was slightly thicker so I enlarged the holes in the two vertical flanges under the cowl so the two side box fasteners could be installed. I also slightly bent the vertical side flanges under the cowl also to allow the lager (wider) gasket to be installed. Lots of soap and water to both the gasket and the cowl. The rubber bands hold things together (the box in the gasket channel) as the box goes in horizontally and then up. If the gasket pops off the box will not go up into position all the way.

[Mikey914]

Sounds like the way to do it. Everyone loves pics (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[porschetub]

For what its worth.......
Fuel tank comes out.
Use a split ring plier to remove the box clips after the box is removed (if needed to be opened up...might as well replace the box flapper seals).
I would cut off the air box drainage hoses and replace them (with pond tubing from Home Depot...close match) instead of trying to pull them off the box drain tubes so as to avoid breaking the drain tubes. ABS glue mends broken drain tubes.
The grill gasket was slightly larger than the perimeter profile of the box, so I installed the grill/gasket (with soap and water) on each box end, wrapped a rubber band about the box ends, then pushed down the center of the grill gasket onto the box and installed two more rubber bands at the third points. These rubber bands are just snipped and pulled out after the box is in place.
The grill gasket was slightly thicker so I enlarged the holes in the two vertical flanges under the cowl so the two side box fasteners could be installed. I also slightly bent the vertical side flanges under the cowl also to allow the lager (wider) gasket to be installed. Lots of soap and water to both the gasket and the cowl. The rubber bands hold things together (the box in the gasket channel) as the box goes in horizontally and then up. If the gasket pops off the box will not go up into position all the way.

Recent thread on here...only days ago I think,lots of good info,research rules...ok and good luck sorting it cause no one says its a fun job.

[Darren C]

The answer is NOT to...

Break
Glue
Cut
Enlarge holes
Use rubber bands & soap
Bend vertical flange brackets

or induce Tourettes Syndrome

It's to get the vendors to make the seals and new grilles a better size to fit properly in the first place.

[falcor75]

The only two things on my whole 914 restoration that had me throwing something in anger was trying to get the damn airbox in place and when the new rubber snorkle for the electrical harness split open with two more inches to go of threading the harness thru....

[hmssaab]

The answer is NOT to...

Break
Glue
Cut
Enlarge holes
Use rubber bands & soap
Bend vertical flange brackets

or induce Tourettes Syndrome

It's to get the vendors to make the seals and new grilles a better size to fit properly in the first place.

I agree....although to be fair the first three items are so as not to break the box disassembling things. And, its not too bad to have a nice snug fitting gasket so water does not run under the cowl with a loose fitting gasket. I ended up using larger washers for the oversized holes on the box sides (not in the box but in the metal flange) as seen in the photos so I do not think things are too bastardized. The vertical metal cowl flanges were just more of less "tapped" and still look for the most part vertical. Water and soap just helps across the board with things too. Also, the new hose replacement works well too. I did not reinstall those nasty spring clips on the drain tube as zip ties are more forgiving to remove later.

[Shredhead]

And here I was thinking this was going to be an easy job.

[76-914]

And here I was thinking this was going to be an easy job.

Nope, more like the 7th Ring of Hell.

[Mikey914]

I do have something I can show you we are starting to make ALL of the grommets and rubber parts.

[Darren C]

I do have something I can show you we are starting to make ALL of the grommets and rubber parts.

That's great Mark and I do honestly appreciate your determination and enthusiasm to bring parts back to the market.....but PLEASE can you take time out to review your Fresh Air Box grille and Seal so that it fits easier and frees us all from the misery of fighting to install it.

[Mikey914]

I understand the frustration. Believe it or not, it's actually an improvement. The OEM was a foam seal that was cut and glued. it was difficult to keep on the box and install. I actually lowered the grill a fraction and made it a molded seal with a flat top to help keep it from wanting to roll out. Yes, it is a bitch to install, but it actually slightly easier.

[Darren C]

Thanks Mark,

We do genuinely appreciate the effort and time you take to make these parts, but there's still a little way to go yet to improve that grille and seal.
Can I make a few "positive" suggestions as an engineer?

1. The plastic grille.

Make it a little smaller on length and width. (not much, maybe by 3mm overall)
The perimeter of the grille you make is slightly angled (like a very very shallow pyramid). Make the first 5mm of the perimeter all way around flat. The seal curls when you fit it around the grille which is part of the issue of it needing pushing upwards under the scuttle to compress this "curl" of the seal to get the the box high enough to fit the two bolts in each side.

2. Seal

Make the outer length on the longest length 3mm shorter so it fits easier between the two vertical brackets.
Make it from a foam type rubber (like the originals) so it compresses easier.


All of the above will not affect how it looks or seals against water, but it'd certainly help in making it an easier job to fit.

Regards
Darren

[914_teener]

I just installed this and restored and rewired a shorted wiring loom. What a time consuming project.

I kind of disagree with changing the gasket.

I think one thing that is absolutely necessary though is that you have to enlarge the mounting holes to a min. of .4375 to get the 10mm bolts in the nutserts in the fresh air box to compress the gasket and mount the box.

Knowing that in advance would help and no other changes would be necessary.

You can't drill through the holes to enlarge them after you have painstakingly installed the box only to find out that you can't mount it.

IMHO.

[Darren C]

914_teener, your missing my point here...
Making the holes bigger than they have been in over 40 years is like putting a bucket under a leak.
Fixing the leak is what needs to be done.
Bigger hole means bigger washer under the bolt head....where does it all stop?

The simple fact of the matter is the new seals and grilles need altering/improving so you don't need to modify some other part of your car or really struggle to get them to fit.

[914_teener]

914_teener, your missing my point here...
Making the holes bigger than they have been in over 40 years is like putting a bucket under a leak.
Fixing the leak is what needs to be done.
Bigger hole means bigger washer under the bolt head....where does it all stop?

The simple fact of the matter is the new seals and grilles need altering/improving so you don't need to modify some other part of your car or really struggle to get them to fit.

Spose you are right, and point taken.

Everything is relative I suppose. Where you live rain is a more common event.

I had a friend who said that ".......God had made a X over the British Isles and said that is where the bad weather will be."

I hope I never have to take that thing apart again however, it aint coming out even if Mark makes another gasket that is easier to install.

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